Lead-acid batteries are the oldest type of rechargeable battery. The batteries are generally rectangular in shape and house pairs of cells containing lead plates and liquid electrolyte. Arrays of lead-acid cells are widely used as standby power sources for telecommunications facilities, generating stations, and computer data centers.
Lead-acid battery cases are typically made from a molded plastic material and often sealed. Dropping a lead-acid battery can rupture the case and damage the battery so that it is no longer usable. In addition, acid leaking from a ruptured battery case can be dangerous to personnel. Thus, batteries must be handled with care and, because of their weight, they can be difficult to install in equipment racks and vehicles, especially when there is limited space. To overcome this problem, various attempts have been made to provide handles for batteries. One type of handle is a strap that is pivotably attached to the opposing ends of the battery and, after the batter is installed, the handle is rotated to the side. However, the handle remains attached to the battery and can obstruct access to the battery and adjacent equipment.
Industrial batteries are typically mounted in racks or cabinets that are constructed for standard size batteries. Any replacement battery has to have the same “footprint” as a standard size battery in order to be an acceptable replacement. If the footprint of the battery is increased to accommodate a handle assembly, the footprint of the battery will be too big to fit in standard racks and enclosures. If the footprint of the battery is reduced to allow room for a handle assembly on the exterior of the battery casing, the battery cells will be smaller and have less power. Therefore, one of the constraints for designing a handle assembly for a battery is that the handle assembly cannot change the size of the footprint.
The attachment of a handle assembly to a battery is further complicated when the terminals for the battery are located on the end walls. One of the advantages of end wall mounted terminals is easier access to the connections for batteries mounted in racks or cabinets. However, the end mounted terminals limit the amount of space available on the end of the battery for connecting a handle assembly. In addition, the battery has a cover, which extends beyond the sides of the battery casing, and a user must be able to attach and detach the handle assembly with the cover installed on the battery. Therefore, the handle assembly must require a limited amount of space on the end of the battery and must not interfere with the connections to the terminals or the overlap of the cover to the casing.
Accordingly, there is a need for a battery handle that can be used to install the battery and then be detached once the battery is in position. There is also a need for a detachable battery handle that can lower a battery into a confined space without requiring additional clearance around the outside of the battery. Moreover, there is a need for a handle assembly that can be used with a standard size battery, which does not change the footprint of the battery or interfere with the terminals or cover. There is also a need for an easily molded low cost container and handle. These needs are satisfied by the handle assembly of the present invention, which has a slot and cavity in the handle that engages a protrusion located between the terminals on the battery casing.